Pocket lighter



March 5, 1940. R NYDEN 2,192,364

POCKET LIGHTER 'Filed July e, 1939 INVENTOR Passer /l/mv Patented Mar. s, 1940 POCKET LIGHTER Robert Nyden, Long Island City, N. Y., assignor to Guth Stern & Co., Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of NewYork Application July s, 1939, serial No. 282,978

'16 claims.

The present invention relates to pocket lighters, and is more lparticularly directed toward. lighters adapted to be made sm'all and compact.

The present invention contemplates lighters made of two similarly appearing halves, one half containing the fuel and carrying the wickA and spark producing mechanism, the other half acting as a cover and carrying a link adapted to operate the spark producing mechanism.

The accompanying drawing shows, for purposes of illustrating the present invention, two embodiments iri which it may take form, it being understood that the drawing is illustrative of thel invention rather jthan limiting the same.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view f one embodiment of the lighter as seen when closed; -J

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the embodiment of Figure 1 asl seenwhen opened;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the sparking device 'and operating means therefor;

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a partial view in section showing the sparking device and the manner in which same operates;

Figure 6 is -a perspective View of a modiiied form of construction; A

Figure 'I is a sectional view similar to Figure 4 of the form shown in Figure 6; and

Figure 8 is a fragmentary section similar to Figure 5. Y

Referring to vFigures 1-5 of the drawing, the lighter comprises in general a plate 6 on which the wick 'I and sparking device 8 are supported, and a second plate 9 carrying lthe actuating link 36 for operating the sparking device and the snuier II. The plates are formed with interlocking. hinge knuckles I2 through which a hinge pin I3..may be passed to permit the plates to be hinged to overlie' one another in closed position. Carried by and secured to each plate is a dished out or spherical hollow member I4 which members form the outer casing and give the device the appearance of a round compact as shown in Figure 1.

In detail the plate 6 carries a pivot pin I5 on which are pivotally mounted the ears I6 of a channel shaped Iarm I1. vCarried between ears 0 I6 is a flint wheel I8 having ratchet teeth I9 on the top surface thereof and a pawl 20 movable with arm I'I and cooperating with ratchetteeth I9 to rotate flint wheel I8 step by step. The arm is further provided with a roller 2| Lrotatably mounted on a pin 22, and also a spring clip 23 pivoted on a pin 23 and to which one end of spring 24 is secured, the other end of spring 24 being attached to stud 25. This spring normally *tends to move arm I1 counterclockwise to rapidly rotate iiint wheel I8 inv thatdirection. There is 5 further provided a housing 26 which carries a iiint 21 and a spring 28 normally pressing the ilint into engagement with int wheel I8 whereby when the Wheeel is rotated the iiint will pro- A duce a spark. The housing is secured by screws 10 29 to plate 6 and serves to cover the flint wheel, the arm and spring 24, and to provide guide means for an actuating link or arm for ratchet' arm I1. Plate 6 is further provided with a wick 1 carried by a cap 3l, the cap being removably.15

, secured by screws 32 to plate 6. A suitable filling plug 33 is also carried by plate 6. t

- The second plate 9 is lprovided with a pair of spaced upstanding supporting ears 34 which carry a horizontal pin. 35 to which one end of 20 actuating link or arm 36 is attached. This arm 'is laterally resilient and has a hooked end 31 adapted to snap in below and enga-ge roller 2| of ratchet arm I'I. It is positioned by a guide plate 38 which projects under a guide lip 39 on housing' 26.A A stoplug 48 limits the movement of arm 36. Plate 6 also carries a' snuiler II mounted on a flexible arm 4I to as sure close contact with the face of plate 6. Plate 9 is also provided with an opening 42 for housing 26 and an 30 opening 43 for lling plug 33, and each plate may be provided/with a iinger engaging lip 46 to permit the plate tov be readily moved when t in overlying position.

vsion the spring 24. Considerable force applied to the two plates and the hinge is vnecessary to overcome this spring tension. 'The spring tends to return the cover to the closed position. Before the link or arm 36 reaches the end of its movement it will have released ratchet arm I'I and the tension of spring 24 will no longer be`present to resist movement. The end of arm 36 will be brought against stop lug 40 to check movement 50 and avoid excessive strain on the hinge. On lrelease of the ratchet arm II, the same is moved rapidly by spring 24 in a direction to rotate the flint wheel to ignite the wick. As. the plates are moved to closed or overlying position, arm 36 55 will be guided to reengage roller 2l' and snufrer Il will cover wick-1 and extinguish the ame. The housing 26 has a detent 44 thereon ladapted to be positioned behind plate 9V when in overlying position and prevent the opening of same.

The lighter mechanism described may be readilyattached to any housing. In the embodiment shown there are provided two dished out hollow members I4 which are of spherical segments,

symmetrical in size and shape, and provided with anged over portions 45 to rigidlysecure the plates in place. When so secured 'plate 6 serves as a closure for 'a liquid container and plate 9' as a carrier for the actuating arm andsnuffer I l It is obvious that the outside casing member I4 may have any desired shape and that plate 6 will serve as a closure therefor. Plate 9 can likewise be secured to any type of casing vmember to form the cover therefor or may be shaped as a cover member. In all cases the moving of the carrier plate or cover to open position will move the actuating arm to operate the sparking device and ignite the wick and to closed position ,-will position the snuffer to extinguish the iiame. v

In the construction shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8 the device is made up `generally like that shown in Figures 1 to 5. As here shown the container half of the device has an outer dished stamping 50 and a cover stamping 5l. rIvhe outer 'stamping 50 is provided with a filler opening closed by a screw 52. lI'he cover 5| has an upwardly drawn tubular element for the wick 53.- The two stampings are secured by rolling together. the-stampings, as indicated at 54. Here the hinged part 5 5 and the finger grips 56 are integral with the lower stamping 50. to the housing 26 and carries a ratchet arm l1, flint wheel and iiint, the same as before. It isl provided with a cam element 58 adapted to act;

on the lower end of the link 36 and hold the bent end 31 of the link against the roller 2i.

The link 36 is pivoted to an anchorage 5S secured inside the cover member 60. This cover member -is generally like the upper cover member I4 above described,vbut in view of the fact-- that noinner plate similar to -the plate 9 is employed the stamping 60 has the hinged elements 6I and nger grips 62. The finger grips 56 and` 62 have a snap engagement with the other casing half when closed. The snuffer 63 is here shown as being mounted o nl a spring 64 carried by the cover member 60.

The arrangement shown in Figures 6 to 8 can be made somewhat more rugged than the device of Figures 1 to 5 with parts of less expensive construction, also there is less likelihood of accidentally lighting the fuel'due to overowing the fuel around the fuel opening on the upper ysurface of the plate, as shown in Figures 1 to 5.

It is apparent that, within the scope of the invention, modications and different arrangements maybe made other than that herein disclosed, and the present disclosure is illustrative merely, the invention comprehendir'ig all variations thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A pocket lighter comprising two similar halves, each of the general shape of a'spherical segment and interconnected by a hinge, one half 'having an inside cover plate which in cooperartion with the outer wall of said half provides a fuel chamber, a wick extending through the plate,

va'ilint wheel. adjacent the wick, a int bearing on the int wheel, an arm operated ratchet ,for'

turning the intwheel in one direction, a spring for operating the arm in said direction, a housing The housing v5'I is similar for the flint wheel, arm and spring, the housing having an opening toward the hinge, a link pivotally connected with the other half and extending through the opening so as to be moved back and forthv under the housing as the halves are moved about the hinge relative toi one another, the inner-end of the link engaging the arm when thehalves are in closed position and acting on 'said arm to swing it'and tension the spring as the halves are swung apart, the link after a predetermined movement vbecoming disengaged from the armso that the arm .is actuated by the spring4 to rotate the 'int wheel. 2. A pocketligh'tersuch as claimed in claim l, wherein the'said other half-has an apertured plate adapted to receive the housing when theA halvesj are in closed position and to which the link is pivoted. y 3. A pocket lighter such as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the. interconnecting hinge comprises hinge elements formed out of the material of the said inside cover plate and out of a second simto limit the extentto which the twofhalves may l be swung in opening the lighter after disengagement ofthe link from the arm whereby excessive strain on the hinge'is avoided.'

6. A pocket lighter such as claimed inclaimd, whereinthe housing has a cam acting on the free end 'of the link -to force it against the arm.

7. A lighter mechanism comprising a-pair of plates of the same size and shape, hinge means connecting said plates to overlie one another, A a wick carried by one plate, a flint and int wheel carried by the same plate adjacent the wick, a flint wheel operating arm, a restoring spring for theiarm, and a link having one end pivotally mounted on the second plate and slidably mounted on thefi'lrst and having a one way operating connection with the arm to tension .the spring,y and means for'guiding said arm carried by the.

first plate whereby when the plates are swung open said arm will be kept interengaged with the arm.

8. Al lighter comprising a two part casing, one part being avcover and the other'a container, each part including adished out member of symmetrical size and shape, hinge means connecting said members, a" closure plate for the container member, a' wick projecting through said plate, a int wheel pivotally mounted adjacent the wick, said wheel having ratchet teeth thereon; a int located adjacent the wheel, a ratchet arm for-the wheel, spring means for biasing the ratchet arm in one direction, means for overcoming said spring bias including a ratchet arm operating link having one end 'pivotally secured to the cover and the other end adapted to engage the ratchet arm when said members arefclosed and to release it when said members are fully opened.

9. A lighter comprising a two part casing, one.

part being a container andthe other a cover, each .j

part including a dished out member of-symmetrical size and shape, hinge means connecting said members, a closure plate for the container member secured to the periphery thereon-a. wick projecting through said plate, a ilint wheel pivotally mounted adjacent said wick, said wheel having ratchet teeth thereon, a ratchet arm for Vsaid wheel, a flint cooperating' with said wheel, spring means for biasing said ratchet arm in adirection to cause said ilint to'spark, ,a carrier -plate for the over member secured to the periphery thereof, a ratchet arm actuating link having one end pivotally mounted on said plate and the other end engaging said ratchet to actuate the same when the casing is fully opened.

10. A lighter comprising a two part casing, one part being a cover and the other a container, each part including a dished out member of symmetrical size and shape, hinge means connecting said members, a closure plate for the container member, a wick projecting through saidplate, a ilint wheel pivotally mounted adjacent the wick, said wheel having ratchet teeth thereon, a ratchet arm for said wheel, spring means for biasing the ratchet arm in one direction, a housing secured to the plate for positioning said Wheel, ratchet and spring, a ilint carried by said housing adjacent said wheel, and cooperating therewith, a

link having one end pivotally secured to the cover4 and thel other end movable in said housing and adapted to engage the ratchet arm whereby when said members are moved to open position the link will move the ratchet arm against the bias of the spring'. y

i1. The combination .claimed in claim 9, having a roller carried by the ratchet arm, and a hooked .end on the link adapted to engage said roller to move the ratchet arm in one position and to ride over same and releasethe ratchet arm in another.

12. In a lighter, a ilint wheel, an oscillatory operating arm having a ratcheting connection with the ilint wheel, an arm restoring spring tensoned when the arm is moved free of the wheel and acting to turn the arm and wheel in one direction, a longitudinally reciprocable arm operating member having an'end to engage the arm and swing it against the tension of the spring,

and a guide for the reciprocable member acting to disengage said end from the arm and release the arm after the spring has been tensioned.

13. A lighter mechanism comprising two hinged parts; one acting as a cover for the other when closed, said other part having a fuel container, a wick, a flint wheel, a iiint, an oscillatory arm having a ratchet connection with the flint wheel, and an arm restoring spring, the other part having a link engageable with the arm during the opening movement of the two parts to swing the armand tension the spring, the spring opposing said opening movement and tending to return the parts toward closed position on release of opening effort, the link at substantially the completion of the opening movement becoming disconnected from the arm so that the spring returns it to normal position and operates the ilint wheel. v

14. A lighter mechanism such as claimed in claim 13, having a stop engageable with the end of the link after the link is released to limit the extent to whiclithe two hinged parts may be.

opened whereby excessive strain on the -hinge is avoided,`

l5. In a lighter, a lighter body providing a fuel container and carrying a Wick, a flint wheel, a flint, an oscillatory arm having a ratchet connection with the flint wheel, an arm restoring spring, a cover hinged to the lighter body, a link having one end pivotally connected to the cover and extending across the hinge, a guide carried by the body andl along which the other end of the link slides, the arrangement being such that as the cover is closed the end of the link slides past the end of the arm and as the lcover is opened the link ilrst engages and moves the arm-about its pivot to tension the spring and then releases the arm so that the spring actuates the arm' and through the ratchet connection actuates the int wheel. f

16'. A' lighter such as claimed in claim 15, wherein the link is interconnected with the guide to limit the extent to which the cover may be swung 4after it has released said arm in openlng the lighter.

, ROBERT NYDEN. 

